TIRUMALA: A record number of devotees thronged the Tirumala temple on Sunday, with 98,058 pilgrims having darshan of Lord Venkateswara.
The figure, officials clarified, is an exact head-to-head count thanks to the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC), which uses face identification technology to record and store photographs of each devotee.
This ensures that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) now maintains highly accurate data compared to earlier estimates.
For perspective, the highest single-day darshan count in the past was 1,01,256 in 2016-17, but that figure was based on compartment capacity calculations rather than individual identification. With AI-driven systems now in place, officials say the numbers being reported are precise and verifiable.
Additional Executive Officer Ch Venkaiah Choudary, who supervised the arrangements, said nearly 1.75 lakh people were present in Tirumala on Sunday, including those inside rooms, locker halls, PAC complexes, and on the streets.
At the closing time of darshan (2 a.m. Monday), another 26,000 devotees were still waiting outside.
“We achieved this record without any untoward incidents, thanks to the coordinated efforts of DyEOs and staff from Temple, Annadanam, Reception, Parakamani, VGO and other wings,” he said. Sunday also saw a record in tonsure services, with 49,234 devotees offering their hair, while laddu sales touched 4.2 lakh.
The hundi collections amounted to Rs 4.09 crore, reflecting the scale of pilgrim participation.
Officials said that while Monday morning witnessed a slight dip in footfall, the weekend rush demonstrated the temple administration’s ability to manage massive crowds with advanced technology and meticulous planning.